“Sille Sanat Sarayı Members’ Meeting 2016” assembled at Erdemli district of Mersin with contribution of Mersin Olba Photography Association (MOF), Metropolitan Municipality of Mersin and Municipality of Erdemli. A total of 137 Sille Sanat Sarayı members united at the meeting including members from UK and Bosna Herzegovina.

Program started on 28th of October 2016 with opening speeches of Mustafa ESER, President of Mersin Olba Photography Association and Reha BİLİR, founder of Sille Sanat Sarayı. After opening ceremony of the photo-exhibition of Sille Sanat Sarayı Members photo competitions, successful slide shows of Seyit Ali Ak Cup were presented to audience. Sille Sanat Sarayı Medals of slide show owners were presented by Seyit Ali Ak Cup Responsible Burak ŞENBAK.

New distinction certificates and pins of Sille Sanat Sarayı were announced and presented by Reha BİLİR to members who became eligible for these distintions by participation to events in line with distinction standards, organized within Sille Sanat Sarayı.

The first day of the program ended with folkloric show and photo-shooting of Maiden’s Castle at Erdemli.

The second day, 29th. of October 2016, program started with site visits of Kanlıdivane, Cambazlı Church and Uzuncaburç during which the jury meeting of photography competition between “Sister Clubs Members” took place. Hikmet AVCI, Şadiye Yılmaz BİLİR and Ferit AKÇALI, members of the organization committee of this competition together with jury members Turgut KIRKGÖZ, Mustafa GÜLPINAR and Selma DEMİRKOL worked hard to organize and decide for the winners. Award Ceremony of the competition will take place at Siverek / Şanlıurfa on 12th. of November 2016, hosted by Siverek Photography Association.

The second episode of the meeting in the afternoon started with Stand in Silence for Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK, founder of Republic of Turkey and for our beloved Martyrs due to Republic Day and continued with The Turkish National Anthem.

Summary of Sille Sanat Sarayı events and organizations of 2016 were submitted by Reha BİLİR during the meeting to all members. The final episode was announcement and presentation of Sille Sanat Sarayı Honorable Photography Awards that has already became a tradition.

Serdar AKYAY and Emel SEZER jointly received “Sille Sanat Sarayı Honorable Photographer of the Year” award with respect to workshops they conducted for primary school children on photography.

Nevzat ÇAKIR was awarded with “Sille Sanat Sarayı, Photography Honorary Award of the Year in Turkey” in line with his contribution to Turkish Photography over the years.

Faruk IBRAHIMOVIC from Bosnia Herzegovina received “Sille Sanat Sarayı, Photography Honorary Award of the Year in the World” for promoting Turkish Photography around the world.

Sille Sanat Sarayı Seyit Ali AK Cup (SAAC) 's judge is over which we organise in memory of Seyit Ali Ak, one of the most important names in Turkish Photography.

8 of our members were succesful in SAAC in 2015,and they got right to compete at second round this year. We organized the competition for the second time in 2016 with 28 total participation.After evaluation of jury members ; Hakan ÇAĞLAR, Hikmet AVCI and Sedat BUĞA, 14 participants passed succesful at their first attempt and they got right to continue to second round in 2017.

Four of our members at second tour were succesful this year to pass third,and final round for them in 2017.

Successful participants who had right to continue for the second tour in 2017 are;

Adem AĞUŞ - YÜNÜM BÖĞET

Ahmet ÇETİNTAŞ - İS

Arif MİLETLİ - UZUN İNCE ANADOLU

Buket ÖZATAY - BENİMLE YÜRÜR GÖKYÜZÜ

Fatma DEMİR - GÖÇ

Günel GÜLDAĞI - YILKI ATLARININ ÖYKÜSÜ

Nazmi BAYGUTOĞLU - KISA YAŞAMLAR

Okan YILMAZ – EĞER

Savaş ŞENER - MICROCOSMOS

Selma DEMİRKOL -DOĞANIN RENGİ

Sema DEMİRKOL – RENKLİ DÜNYALAR

Tayfun KEÇECİOĞLU - AMAN PETROL CANIM PETROL

Tijen EROL - ARADA KALAN YILLAR

Yüksel AÇIKGÖZ - KAREDEN KARELERE

Successful participants who had right to contiune for the third / final tour in 2017 are;

Third competition of 2016 for Sille Sanat Sarayı members is over. Subject was “Women Portraits From The World”. Dear Juan PALMER from Spain was the jury member of this competition. Cihan KARACA (from Aydın) won the first award and Sille Sanat Sarayı Gold Medal. Second award is for Oğuz İPÇİ from Konya and third award is for Mine ERTUĞRUL from İstanbul.

Welcome to “SSS Seyit Ali Ak Cup”, where photo shows will run against each other prepared with photographs shot, with project reasoning instead of single shot portfolios. A cup organized by SSS with complete success history over national and international photo competitions.

INTRODUCTION TO “SSS SEYİT ALİ AK CUP”:

· SSS Seyit Ali Ak Cup will be organized annually.

· Participation to SSS Seyit Ali Ak Cup is open to SSS members only.

· Participants can only submit “photo shows” (no single photographs).

· Theme of Photo Shows; Free (color or B&W).

· Photo shows received with technical details explained at page 2 will be judged between members of the board of 6 different Turkish Photo Clubs and 1 representative from SSS.

· The judges will be selected from different photo clubs in different cities of Turkey and will be replaced each year.

· Each show, during evaluation, will receive scores between “1 to 10” (1 stands for poor and 10 stands for best) from each jury member.

· Photo shows with 30 points and up will be ranked as “successful” for first year.

· Photo shows with 35 points and up will be ranked as “successful” for second year.

· Photo shows with 40 points and up will be ranked as “successful” for third year

· Duration of the photo shows for the all years will be 6 minutes (360 seconds

· Each year/round, “successful” participants will receive a SSS medal.

· Participants with a history of 3 (three) “successful” photo show score will be rewarded with “SSS SEYİT ALİ AK CUP”.

· Participants have the right to “pause” their application to cup for 1 year, during 3 cup rounds.

· In case Participant’s photo show will not be evaluated as “successful” that year, previously earned “successful” scores will not be lost. Participants only loose that round (example; a participant with a success score for 2 consecutive year applies for the third round and he is scored as “unsuccessful”. This participant has the right to apply for the third round again the next coming year and if he is scored as “successful” then he will be rewarded with the Cup).

· Applying for the cup and losing the round due to score will not be regarded as “pause”.

· Each year successful photo shows will be presented to guests at SSS during award ceremony and later on at photography associations/clubs in Turkey.

· Participants cannot submit photo shows with the same theme more than once.

· Participation to Cup is on “individual” basis. Group participations are not accepted.

· Participation to Cup is free of charge.

PARTICIPATION:

Participation to SEYİT ALİ AK CUP is open to all SSS members except Jury, “SSS Seyit Ali Ak Cup Organization Committee” members and their immediate family.

SECTIONS:

SSS SEYİT ALİ AK CUP is a “photo show” competition and there is 1 (one) section.

PHOTO SHOW

· Theme; Free

· Technical Details;

o There is “no” restrictions as for preparation of the show.

o The show can be prepared with or without music/audio, with or without speech, slow or speedy in line with the Participant’s fancy, preferences, flow and choices.

o For the first round (first time participation) with +/-30 seconds flexibility, duration of the photo shows is 6 minutes (between 330 and 390 seconds). Please see section “Introduction to SSS Seyit Ali Ak Cup” for the duration of photo shows for the second and third rounds for participants with success score for the first round.

o Participants may use text (informatics) slides, header or footer information, music/audio, Photo Show’s title at the beginning / inside / at the end of the show. In case of preparing the show with “music”, artist and title information should be included at the show. Participant’s name and surname cannot be used inside the show or as a file name.

o Photo shows will be evaluated with PC’s with 1920 x 1440 pixels in screen resolution and should be prepared as such.

RULES:

· The photo show file will be burned on a CD\DVD. The file name should be; “nickname-name of the show”. Example; “012345-bridges”.

· Last page of this document, The Application Form, should be filled, signed and added to the CD\DVD digitally containing the photo show file. The file name should be; “nickname-application form”. Example; “012345-applicationform”.

· One photograph chosen from the show will also be added to CD\DVD, separately in jpg format and the title of the show will be written over this photograph. Technical details of this file; short side minimum 2.000 pixels, at 300 dpi, with highest quality, jpg format. The file name should be; “nickname-referencephoto.jpg”. Example; “012345-referencephoto.jpg”.

· Applicants are free to send a file in word format giving details about their project / show / theme. The file name should be; “nickname-information.doc”. Example; “012345-information.doc”. This file will also be recorded over the CD\DVD. This document is not mandatory.

· Participants will “only” write their nickname with 6 letters/numbers on the CD\DVD. CD\DVD’s, containing the name of the applicant will not be taken into consideration.

· Applicants will also take the print-out of the application form, sign it, place it together with the CD\DVD inside an envelope, close it and write “FOR SILLE ART GALLERY, 1ST. SEYIT ALI AK CUP PARTICIPATION” + “NICKNAME” over the envelope.

· Participants may also use a flash memory stick instead of a CD\DVD.

· This envelope will then be placed inside another envelope and will be send to below mentioned address, taking necessary precautions against damage or loss;

· Each photo show will receive scores between 1 and 10 (1 being poor, 10 being best score) from each judge.

· At the end of judging, scores will be added up and photo shows with scores that is needed for each year will be found “successful” in that round/tour of SSS SEYİT ALİ AK CUP.

OTHER:

· The CD\DVDs or flash memory cards will not be sent back to participants. They will be destroyed under supervision of SSS Exhibition Committee.

· There is no restriction related to manipulation or digital processing of photographs used inside the shows.

· SSS will have the right to share and use the photo shows and reference photos for promoting, publicity and training purposes together with the name of the owner of the photo show and reference photo through his web site or other media. By applying for the cup, participants confirm and irrevocably agree that they will not and cannot claim anything else other than the plaque and/or the cup award against use of their photo show and reference photo by SSS as per details written here.

· Participants can not apply for the cup with the same project theme of themselves that scored successful, previously. This will be considered as tainting.

· There is no restriction for the use of any photographs that are part of the photo shows with previously earned awards or acceptances through national and/or international competitions.

· Applicants can enter the cup with photo shows with awards or acceptances from other competitions organized before.

· Applicants confirm that all photographs used inside photo show are his works and that necessary permissions are granted.

· In case of fraud or any nonconformity with application rules, SSS has the right to ask any award or cup back, once it is proved.

· Since SSS SEYIT ALI AK CUP will be repeating annually, it is important for the applicants to read the “SSS SEYIT ALI AK CUP INTRODUCTION” section carefully.

· Successful Photo Shows’ presentation will join audience during award ceremony at SSS salons and other photo club/association salons in line with the agenda that will be distributed later.

· SSS members will get 10 points/round to be used in their score cards for SSS Distinctions for the first and second rounds of SEYIT ALI AK CUP in case their photo shows score as “successful”. For the CUP AWARD, an additional 20 points can be used for SSS Distinctions.

· Participants applying for SSS SEYIT ALI AK CUP are considered to accept all of the rules mentioned in this document unconditionally.